Potato prices increased marginally in Odisha during the last two days as West Bengal has imposed restrictions on the supply of kitchen essentials to the state. The Secretary of the All Odisha Traders Association, Sudhakar Panda, has appealed to the Odisha government to intervene and hold talks with the neighbouring state to allow potato trucks to the state. Odisha requires around 4,500 tonnes of potato daily to meet its needs. The state mostly depends on West Bengal for it.
Potato prices in Odisha have risen to Rs 40 per kg as West Bengal restricted supply, causing hundreds of trucks to be standard at the border. Traders fear further hikes if the disruption continues. The Odisha government is considering sourcing potatoes from Punjab or Uttar Pradesh to mitigate the shortage. The consumers will have to bear an additional burden of Rs 2 per kg for potatoes brought from UP. Patra said that the Odisha government has chalked out an action plan to make the state self-reliant in potato production in next two years.
Presentation -Dibyabharati Nayak
